The Heroes of Sandy Hook

As the details emerge and the country struggles with the immense horror of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, a horror almost beyond comprehension, I’ve been drawn to the stories of the principal, Dawn Hochsprung, and the school psychologist, Mary Sherlach, who died along with 20 of their students and four other staff members. You can’t read this piece from the New York Times without deep sadness and deep admiration for the two women, who brought such joy and energy to their work every day.

And then there are the brave Sandy Hook teachers who reacted like the trained professionals they are and kept their students safe during the shooting. This heart-rending account leaves no doubt about their dedication, their courage and their love for the children in their care.

I only wish I had never heard of any of them, that they could have continued in their lives unknown to me and the rest of the world. But as this graphic illustrates, they have now joined a too-long list. There have been 13 mass shootings in the U.S. this year that left 73 dead (not counting shooters). It’s time we gave our heroes a rest.